Meet the team
Jack Balkham
Clinical Director
BSc (Hons) BVSc DBR MRCVSAshford
Jack grew up in East Sussex and joined us in 2014 as a graduate intern, before becoming practice principal in 2021. His main interests include bovine fertility and infectious diseases, and he is part of VetPartners’ fertility special interest group. In his free time, he enjoys kayaking, running and spending time with his family and dog!
Olivia Crebbin
Tech
Approved Tuberculin TesterAshford
Olivia joined us in 2021 and is currently completing a veterinary livestock technician apprenticeship at Harper Adams University. She grew up on a smallholding in the Kent countryside, and was a member of her local Young Farmers Group. In her spare time, she enjoys training her dog and spending time with her horse.
Kathryn Hume
Vet
BVM BVS MRCVSAshford
Originally from Ireland, Kathy graduated from the Nottingham Vet School in 2011 and joined us as an intern the same year. She enjoys all aspects of her role, but has a particular interest in proactive health planning and mastitis control. She is also an AHDB dairy mastitis control plan user, and loves being outdoors and taking photos of the Kent countryside!
Megan Harman
Vet
BSc BVetMed MRCVSAshford
Megan holds degrees in veterinary biosciences and medicine, and joined us as an intern with a specialist interest in camelids and farm pets in 2020. In her spare time, she supports her partner with his pub and enjoys exploring the countryside with her cocker spaniels!
Tiffany Etherington
Vet
BVMSci MRCVSAshford
Tiff graduated from the University of Surrey in 2021 and joined our graduate programme soon after! She enjoys all aspects of farm animal practice, but has a passion for dairy and infectious diseases. Her favourite pastimes include baking, paddleboarding and visiting her family in the West Sussex countryside.
Georgina Stanley
Vet
BSc(Hons) BVMS MRCVSAshford
Georgina has an animal science degree and graduated from Glasgow Vet School in 2004. She has worked in a variety of mixed and small animal practices, and was previously the lead vet at a busy charity clinic. She joined our team in 2021, and enjoys spending time with family and her German shepherd, step aerobics, watching rugby and seeing live music.
Sharminda Lockwood
Vet
BVetMed MRCVSAshford
Sharminda graduated in 2005 and has been working in Kent ever since! After ten years spent working at a mixed practice, she decided to concentrate on farm work and pursue her interest in flock health. She lives on a sheep and beef farm with her husband, three daughters and pack of working collies, and is a keen gardener and cook!
Verity Atkins
Vet
BVSc MRCVSAshford
Verity graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2022 and joined our graduate programme shortly after. She is interested in all aspects of farm practice, and enjoys getting to work with both commercial farms and smallholder clients. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the Kent countryside and catching up with friends.
Jo-Ann Olson
Support team
Ashford
Jo worked at Kent Wool Growers before joining our team in 2017, and has been instrumental in setting up our farming supplies shop. When she’s not working, she enjoys hiking with her canine sidekick Flyn and (staying true to her kiwi origins) following rugby.
Valerie Smith
Support team
Office ManagerAshford
Val has worked in the veterinary industry for years, many of which have been spent running our Ashford office! Her passions include jump racing, photography, gardening and looking after her horses, and she can often be found stewarding at a point to point track or following the racing at a professional course!
Ami Sawran
Clinical Director
BVSc CertAVP PGCertVPS PhD MRCVSChelmsford
Originally from Durham, Ami graduated from Liverpool University in 2011, before completing a production animal health and welfare internship, a PhD in cattle lameness and a camelid practice certificate! Outside of work, she enjoys reading, watching Formula One, snowboarding, playing netball and going on adventures with her Shih Tzus.
Ian Roper
Clinical Director
BVetMed MRCVSChelmsford
Ian joined us in 2007, shortly after graduating from the Royal Veterinary College. He has helped Westpoint practices across the country, and previously worked as a consultant in the middle east, Denmark and Sweden! In his own time, he enjoys looking after his Labrador, Albie, running and playing squash and golf and indulging his love of cinema.
Olivia Casey
Vet
Bsc (Hons) BVetMed MRCVSChelmsford
Olivia graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2020. She has always enjoyed working with chickens, pigs and goats and has recently entered the world of beekeeping! She hopes to develop her passion for sustainable farming and would like to own her own beehives one day. She also enjoys tap dancing and baking, much to the delight of the team!
Amanda Foo
Vet
BVM&S MRCVSChelmsford
Originally from Malaysia, Amanda studied at the University of Edinburgh, and worked at practices in London and Newcastle before joining our team. She has a passion for surgery and enjoys a good mix of production animal medicine and smallholder work. In her free time, she likes to bake, eat out with friends and go lead climbing!
Mia Ellis
Vet
BSc (Hons) BVetMed MRCVSChelmsford
Mia graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2019 and enjoys all aspects of farm practice, particularly bull fertility and herd health planning. She is currently completing a masters in sustainable agriculture and food security, and loves figure skating, running and working on craft projects!
Maddy Tyson
Vet
BVMSci MRCVSChelmsford
Originally from Essex, Maddy graduated from the University of Surrey in 2022, and spent her final training year with our Chelmsford team! She is now completing our graduate scheme and has developed a passion for surgery, cattle and sheep. In her free time, she enjoys running, playing tennis and catching up with friends and family.
Abbie Allum
Tech
Approved Tuberculin TesterChelmsford
Abbie joined our team in 2022 and has a wealth of experience in calf rearing and sheep and cattle farming. She has a real passion for improving welfare and productivity in farms, and is in the process of completing approved tuberculin tester training.
Jess Dalton
Vet
BSc. (Hons) DVM MRCVSChelmsford
Originally from Ireland, Jess graduated from the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest in 2022 and has joined us after working at a busy mixed practice in Northern Ireland. She enjoys all aspects of farm animal practice with a particular interest in surgery, production animal and small holder work. In her free time she likes to cook, go on hikes and explore new places with her dog Morris.
Katie Binks
Vet
BSc BVSc MRCVSChelmsford
Katie graduated from the University of Bristol in 2023, and made the move from the North East to join Westpoint Chelmsford for their graduate scheme! She enjoys the mix of commercial and smallholder work, and getting to know the clients and their animals. When not in work, Katie enjoys meeting up with her friends and family, long walks and going to the gym, sometimes even squeezing in the occasional Zumba class!
Amy Walpole
Operations and Support Team
RVNChelmsford
Amy is a qualified veterinary nurse and has years of experience under her belt. She joined us in 2019 and enjoys the varied nature of her role, especially interacting with our wonderful clients and team members! When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and adventuring in her caravan.
Melissa Pearmain
Support team
Chelmsford
Mel has enjoyed expanding the scope of her role over the years, whilst maintaining her focus on supporting our clients and team members. In her own time, she enjoys gardening, cooking, volunteering in her local community and training her two Labradors!
Emily Phipps
Clinical Director
BVSc MRCVSHorsham/Sevenoaks
Emily, who is originally from Leeds, graduated from Liverpool in 2014 and went straight into a farm animal practice covering Lancashire and Cumbria, before moving “daan saaf” to Westpoint in 2020. She has a strong interest in dairy work, especially nutrition and herd health, and always looks forward to lambing time too. Her spare time is mainly spent running around after her young boy, but she enjoys walking her black Labrador, baking and running when she gets the chance.
Tim Potter
Clinical Director
BVetMed MBA PhD CMgr MCMI MRCVSHorsham/ Sevenoaks
Tim graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2003 and went on to complete a dairy herd and surgery medicine internship and a PhD in calf pneumonia. When he’s not advising calf breeders around the world about proactive health management, he heads up our farm graduate programme and works on FarmIQ and farmacy.co.uk projects.
Andrew Richmond
Vet
BVM&S MRCVSHorsham/Sevenoaks
Andrew graduated from Edinburgh University in 1996, working in mixed practice for a two years before moving into dedicated farm practice. Andrew enjoys all aspects of his work here at Westpoint and the variation in visits that each day brings. Outside of work, Andrew has a keen interest in wildlife and nature.
Sophie Cranfield
Vet
BVetMed MRCVSHorsham/ Sevenoaks
Sophie grew up on a dairy farm near Lewes, and joined us after graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 2022. Alongside her love of all things dairy, she has a soft spot for goats, as she loves their curious and mischievous nature! Outside of work, she spends much of her spare time crocheting and watching her fiancé play rugby.
Mike Rauch
Vet
DVM MRCVSHorsham/Sevenoaks
Mike Rauch is from Frisco, Texas where he grew up raising Hereford cattle with his family. In 2017, he graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in biomedical science. He also attended veterinary school at Texas A&M and graduated in 2020 with his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. Mike then practiced for 3 years at a mixed animal veterinary clinic in La Grange, Texas. Here he was able to develop his skills and knowledge on all animals from cattle and horses to dogs and cats. Mike is married to his wife, Amelia, who is also a veterinarian practicing in Brighton. Mike and Amelia recently made the move to the UK and have begun exploring Southeast England. He enjoys golfing, hiking, and spending time outside.
Martin Lanaway
TB Tester and AI Technician
TechHorsham
Martin is both a TB tester and experienced AI technician. He enjoys looking at different farming systems while performing his duties. Martin is a keen ornithologist and an amateur naturalist, and enjoys spending time in the garden, or out walking.
Gemma May
Tech
SQPHorsham/ Sevenoaks
Gemma joined the Westpoint team in 2021, having previously worked on an urban farm for six years teaching people with learning disabilities animal husbandry and life skills. She has a special interest in preventative measures and wellbeing, and has many pets of her own, including tortoises, dogs, cats and a leopard Gecko! Gemma has recently started studying to become an SQP alongside the Harper Adams apprenticeship and university diploma. She is also a huge Harry Potter fan.
Jana Saunders
Support team
Horsham/ Sevenoaks
Jana joined Westpoint in 2015 and has loved every minute of her time with us. At home she has a sprocker called Trevor, who comes with her to work every day, as well as a sheep called Ruby. In her spare time she enjoys walking, working on her allotment and helping out on her friend’s sheep farm, especially at lambing time!
Kim Berry
Support team
Horsham/ Sevenoaks
A lifelong animal lover, Kim worked as a retail manager for many years before joining our team in 2009. She has a Hungarian vizsla called Parker and an Australian cattle dog called Flyn at home, and enjoys looking after her children, walking, cycling, gardening, cooking, horse riding and trying her hand at any form of art!
Matt Dolbear
Clinical Director
BSc(Hons) BVetMed MRCVSWinchester
After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 2017, Matt spent a year working on large scale dairy, beef and sheep projects in New Zealand, where he developed a passion for laparoscopic insemination and embryo transfer in sheep and goats. He lives in Romsey with his wife, and enjoys keeping fit and spending time on his family’s farm.
Emma Rowden
Clinical Director
BVetMed MRCVSWinchester
Emma graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2014, and joined us as an intern the same year. She has a keen interest in dairy herd health, particularly udder health and infectious disease, and enjoys walking her German pointer, Finn, and tending to her small flock of sheep in her spare time.
Laura Gibson
Clinical Director
BSc BVetMed MRCVSWinchester
Originally from Devon, Laura graduated from The Royal Veterinary College in 2014 and joined us as an intern the same year. She has a keen interest in dairy work, especially fertility, infectious disease and calf health, and often works alongside our alpaca breeders. In her own time, she enjoys walking her spaniels, walking on the beach and visiting friends.
Emily Collins-Wingate
Vet
BVMSci MRCVSWinchester
Emily joined us after graduating in 2020 and completed some of her training with us. Having grown up on a smallholding, she enjoys all aspects of production animal medicine, especially working with sheep, youngstock and smallholder clients. Her favourite pastimes include dog walking, paddle boarding, seeing live music and taking part in amateur theatre productions!
Ovidiu Hasieganu
Vet
MRCVSWinchester
Ovi worked as a small animal vet in his native Romania after graduating from Spriru Haret University, and has been in the UK since 2014. He now works full-time as a TB tester, and is an avid fan of Liverpool FC and the Bath rugby team!
Jess Nurse
Support team
Approved Tuberculin TesterWinchester
Jess grew up on a dairy farm and joined the Westpoint team in 2020, having previously worked as a vet tech in Somerset. Outside of work, she can usually be found farming, rearing youngstock with her partner, horse riding and doing as much sport as possible!
Emma York
Support team
Winchester
Emma grew up in Sway and has lived in the New Forest all her life. She joined Cedar Farm Vets in 2017, having completed 3 A-Levels (Business, ICT & English Literature) and an NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration. Emma will be based at the Winchester office on Mondays and Thursdays. Emma enjoys exploring new places and cultures. When at home, she enjoys walking her dog on the beach, playing the guitar and singing.
Sally Carpenter
Operations and Support Team
Winchester
Sally grew up on a family farm in Hampshire and spent time working in dairy farming before joining our team in 2016. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the local area with her Jack Russell terriers, Trevor and Tulip!
Ricardo Borralheiro
Clinical Director
MRCVSYork
Ricardo graduated from Porto University in 2009, and worked at a farm practice in Northern Portugal for six years before moving to the UK in 2015. He became Clinical Director in 2024. He has a keen interest in bovine udder health and surgery, and enjoys watching sports, reading and spending time with his family. He is also the head of our York practice’s cattle artificial breeding team!
Adriana Hener
Vet
MRCVSYork
Adriana Hener - Bio coming soon!
Rebecca Downing
Vet
BSc (Hons) BVetMed MRCVSYork
Rebecca graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2022 and also holds a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Exeter.
She enjoys all aspects of farm work, with a particular interest in beef and sheep. In her free time she can be found exploring the countryside, identifying plants and fungi and learning how to photograph them! She is also an amateur birdwatcher and keen swimmer.
Greg Taylor
Vet
BSc BVSc MRCVSYork
Growing up as a vet’s son and coming from a farming background, all Greg ever wanted to do was become a vet. He graduated in 2012 in South Africa and worked as farm vet in the picturesque Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands, before moving to England with his wife and children to join our team in 2020. He loves being out on farms and wants to make a difference for his farmers. In his spare time he enjoys exploring the beautiful Yorkshire countryside with his family, serving at Church, playing sport, growing bonsai trees and playing guitar.
Gemma Barnes
Vet
BVM BVS MRCVSYork
Gemma Graduated from Nottingham in 2021, and spent two years working in Melton Mowbray before joining us in York. She enjoys a mixture of beef, sheep, dairy and camelid work, and is particularly interested in regenerative agriculture. Outside of work, Gemma is a keen cook and chef and enjoys seeking out local produce. She also climbs, hikes and loves to camp.
Gill Dyson
Support team
York
Gill joined our York team in 2016 and helps to make sure the office runs smoothly, organising the vets and putting a smile on everyone’s faces! She is crazy about boxer dogs and has one of her own at home called George!
Anna Davey
Support team
Vet Tech and EmbryologistYork
Anna joined our team in 2020 as an office administrator, and now enjoys a varied vet tech role. In her own time, she can often be found horse riding, walking her dogs or spending time with her family. She’s always keen for the lambing season to start and has her own pedigree blue texel sheep!
Alison Cole
Support team
York
Alison joined us in June 2023
